It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We are now back safe and sound in our apartment in Pullman, but we are still reeling from our whirlwind Summer. We enjoyed our time in the Tri-Cities so much. The area is actually quite pretty, the weather is hot (but bearable with AC), and there is PLENTY to do. Every once in a while I still find myself thinking about restaurants I want to go to or places I want to see, forgetting I am back in Pullman.
Internship:
We were really blessed to be given the opportunity to work jobs that were within our interests, and also gain a lot of skills while there. While I was working at a tutoring center, I learned that I just loved to help kids learn to read. I also learned I am not quite as bad at math as I once thought. It was hard to leave that job but I know Derek finishing his education and tying all the bows on our work here in Pullman is for the best.
Watching Derek's experience over the Summer has truly been unforgettable. It has been really fun to watch Derek find his niche and see the how he comes alive when he is where he needs to be. He put countless hours into studying, discussing, pondering, and reading up on various tools, coding languages, and software to really maximize his experience at PNNL. Within only a few short weeks, he became one of the few interns to receive his Splunk certification (which is a real thing, I promise), and demonstrated his ability to problem solve issues in a real-life scenario. Watching him work has really strengthened my trust in him. For a control freak like me who suffers from the conflicting feeling of wanting to go out and do everything for myself, while also wanting to someday be a stay-out-home mom with my future kids, it has put my mind at ease to know that I can hand over the reins and know that my family will be well taken care of. Now whether or not that has cured me of my control-freakness is yet to be seen, but hey, acknowledgement is the first step.
Puppy:
Unfortunately, not all of our experiences were completely pleasant. While work was great, things in our temporary home were not always easy. Wrapped up in this whole thing was little Rizzo, a seven month old chihuahua mix (possibly a Fox Terrier, a mix known as "taco terrier"). Rizzo had just been rehomed at the end of July. It is believed her previous owners adopted her from a shelter, but they gave her up because they felt she was untrainable. The family whom we were living with took Rizzo in, but after just a day or two, it was clear they were not caring for her in the way she needed. With several little children, Rizzo nipped the youngest baby (likely out of either nervousness or playfulness) and sent the dad into a terrible rage. Not only was I scared for myself, but I was most certainly scared for little Rizzo who was receiving horrible punishment. About half an hour later I went to find Rizzo. I couldn't leave her there. Derek was nice enough to allow us to take her home with us to Pullman for the weekend. While there, we decided that it would be best if Rizzo didn't go back to Kennewick. When it came time for us to go back to the tri-cities for work, Derek's parents were nice enough to take her in to puppy-sit her.
For weeks I prayed with sincere intent that we would know what to do with Rizzo. She was sweet, and (despite what her previous owners said) the smartest, most well trained dog I think I have ever seen. I wanted her for myself, but I knew that this probably wasn't the best long-term decision. Upon our return to Pullman, Derek's parents asked if they might be able to keep her. She had already formed a bond with their dogs as well as Derek's parents, and they were all quite lonely when we had taken her away for the weekend! Just yesterday the deal was sealed, and Rizzo was officially adopted by Derek's parents. A part of me is sad not to have a little doggy in the house, but I am also so glad that Rizzo is now in a forever home that can take care of her and love her as she really deserves.
Birthday:
At the conclusion of our internship experience, we planned a fun birthday trip for Derek! He turned 25!!! WOOHOO! We had planned to spend the weekend visiting my parents in the Seattle area. Little did Derek know, I had actually bought Seahawks tickets for the pre-season game on Friday, August 14th (his birthday!). My parents had a whole Seahawks party waiting for us, and Derek as SO shocked to learn what his birthday surprise was!
On the day of the game, we took a bus to downtown Seattle and then walked to the Stadium. Even in the downpour, all the other 12s were so excited to see our hawks! We were lucky enough to be one of the few sections that was covered from the rain, AND we had a great view! Even though the Seahawks couldn't quite pull it off (20-22), we had so much fun. We came home with full tummies, sore voices, and great memories! I am really excited for the season to start!
On to our next adventure!
